Operation Confidence Helps Job Seekers Look Good

by Sherry Gray

Consuella Mackey had an epiphany nearly 30 years ago when she discovered first-hand the connection between good looks and social success. In fact, this link is so important in American society that it poses a career barrier for persons with disabilities—especially for those seeking work in the media, fashion, and beauty industries.

A New Orleans native living in Los Angeles and working as a hair stylist, Mackey knew that when her clients looked good, they felt confident. And confident people exuded a positive image that helped them succeed in their communities, relationships and jobs. But when a sports injury that left her temporarily unable to walk, she gained new insight into the lack of beauty and fashion resources available for persons with disabilities. Although her first frustrations centered on the basics of getting around a community and work place not made accessible, she eventually noticed the small things that kept her from feeling attractive. For example, she could find no company that designed clothes suitable for a person sitting in a wheelchair. She felt frumpy, not comfortable or confident, when her suit jacket—styled too long for wheelchair use—bunched up around her.

To fill the void, Mackey founded Operation Confidence, a nonprofit that encourages beauty and media companies to provide jobs, products and services for consumers with disabilities.

To show that people with disabilities could project positive and beautiful images, Operation Confidence (OC) began its work with fashion shows featuring “The Totally Confident Fashion Models.” OC went on to offer beauty make-overs through its Dress for Success program and organize job fairs and career preparation workshops. They pushed the fashion industry to design clothes for wheelchair users and pressured media companies and advertisers to hire persons with disabilities and show dignified role models and attractive images of persons with disabilities.

Today OC continues to branch out. It sponsors a number of wheelchair dance, sports and drill teams that have performed around the world. It also offers the inspirational and mentoring work of the Positive Redirection Team (PRT). PRT is a group of motivational speakers, dancers, actors, fashion models, and fitness instructions who all use wheelchairs, promote access to their fields for persons with disabilities, and mentor others with disabilities interested in these careers. Taking advantage of its location at the center of American film and TV production, OC has sponsored dances, fashion shows, comedy shows, jazz concerts, and been itself the recipient of a beauty make-over when the TV show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition remodeled Mackey’s home and helped her move the OC offices from her home to a new building.

Minnesota Clothing Resources   Job Seekers with Disabilities The workshop “Dressing for Success for Men and Women,” cosponsored by Hennepin S. WorkForce Center and the Hennepin S. Rehabilitation Services, helps job seekers with disabilities prepare for interviews and jobs. Instructors provide information on appropriate clothing, hairstyles, and accessories; give clothing care, groomingand shopping tips; and suggest places for tailoring or altering clothes to fit individual needs. Registration at 952-346-4028. Web: www.mnwfc.org/hennepinsouth   Women Job Seekers The following Minnesota organizations assist women who are transitioning into the workforce by providing donated professional clothes suitable for interviews and office work environments. Although all agencies have served clients with disabilities, none offer assistance, tailoring, or make-overs designed to serve the particular needs of individuals with disabilities. • The Episcopal Community Services Ready for Success program provides women transitioning into the workforce with “new or gently-used professional clothing, accessories, and new personal care items suitable for job interviews and the workplace.” Job seekers schedule two-hour individual appointments with volunteer “personal shoppers” who help them put together outfits and personal care kits suitable for a business environment. Mpls. office: 425 Oak Grove St; St. Paul office: 1831 Minnehaha Ave E. Contact them at: 612-871-4086 or 651-731-6400. Web: www.ecsmn.org/ • Dress for Success Northwest Minnesota, an affiliate of Dress for Success Worldwide (based in New York City) assists economically disadvantaged women to find jobs through career counseling and interview coaching and by providing professional clothing. The only Minnesota affiliate is at 421 - 5th Street in Hawley. Contact them at: 218-483-3145. Web: www.dressforsuccess.org/ • Martha’s Closet provides professional clothing, and sometimes dressing advice, for low income women starting a job search. They are located in Central Presbyterian Church, 500 Cedar St, St Paul. Contact them at: 651-224-4728 x 112. Web brochure: www.cpcstpaul.org/ • League of Catholic Women’s First Impression program provides two complete new or “gently used” professional outfits for women returning to work. Volunteers provide counseling on appropriate clothing for work environments and assist with matching accessories (provided). They are located at 207 S. 9th St, Minneapolis. Contact them at: 612-332-2649. Web: http://mplsleagcatholicwomen.org/ • Women Achieving New Directions, a program of the Employment Action Center, provides a Career Clothes Closet for single working mothers. Contact them at: (west metro) 612-752-8554 or e-mail aumoeka@resource-mn.org; (east metro) 651-604-3516 or ecarnahan@resource-mn.org. Web: www.eac-mn.org/womenprog.shtml   Male Job Seekers Many charitable and career counseling agencies in Minnesota will assist male job seekers with clothing, but there are no programs available for men that provide the level of attention to professional dressing that is available for women.

Info about OC and its activities can be found on the web at www.operationconfidence.org or by calling 818-368-4407.

Minnesota beauty activist Tiffiny Carlson
Self-described “wheelchair fashion guru” Tiffiny Carlson is a Minneapolis writer and beauty activist for women with disabilities. She founded BeautyAbilty in 1999. Visit her webpage, http://beautyability.com/2.0/about/

 

Operation Confidence founder Consuella Mackey (c) with
two members of The Totally Confident Fashion Models.

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Last updated on February 12, 2008

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